ENID, OKLA. - Madison College opened its record-tying sixth consecutive appearance - and 13th overall - at the NJCAA Division II Baseball World Series with a resounding 11-1 run-ruled win over Montgomery College in a first round game at David Allen Memorial Ballpark. The #6-seeded WolfPack overcame an early 1-0 deficit thanks to a grand slam from Will Johannes and an eight strikeout effort by Michael Carpenter in the win over the #11-seed Raptors. The game was originally schedule for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25; however, a severe thunderstorm postponed the game to 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Neither team was able to score in the first inning before both put at least one run on the scoreboard in the second. Back-to-back doubles against Carpenter in the top half gave Montgomery College (34-20), making its first-ever appearance at the national tournament, a 1-0 lead. 

The WolfPack answered right back with three runs in the bottom half. Walks to Payton Frehner and Will Johannes started the inning, and after both runners moved up a base on Jake Petasek's ground out, freshman Howie Rickett grounded out to second base to drive in Frehner and tie the game. Sophomores Dayton Rozinski-Hicks and Nick Nowak each followed with a ground ball single through the infield to plate Johannes and Rozinski-Hicks, respectively.



More bases on balls set up a huge six-run third inning. Charlie Marion, Charlie Schau, and Frehner all walked to start the frame and load the bases. Johannes stepped to the plate and lined a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam to make it 7-1. The long ball marks the team-leading 11th homer of the season for the Mukwonago, Wisconsin, native, and moves the second year slugger into sole possession of second place on the school's all-time home runs list with 22. The grand slam was followed by two more walks of Petasek and Rickett, and after a hit by pitch on Nowak loaded the bases for a second team, freshman Jalen Gellings brought in two with a single to right center. 

The 9-1 lead remained until the fifth when Madison was able to close out the victory in a run-rule decision. Rozinski-Hicks and Nowak began the bottom half with consecutive singles, and Gellings, the Region 4 Tournament MVP, reached on a bunt that scored Rozinski-Hicks. An intentional walk of Schau later in the inning put a runner on every base, and an error by the third baseman on a high chopper from Frehner allowed Nowak to cross home for a ten-run advantage to end the game.
 

Wolfpack are ROLLING@madisonwolfpack add to their lead with this single!

📺: https://t.co/O4jiQFG32U pic.twitter.com/gt84sWJzbX

— NJCAA Network (@NJCAANetwork) May 26, 2024

Carpenter, a lefthander from Hartland, Wisconsin, earned his tenth consecutive win to improve to 10-2 and tie him for the second most wins in a single season in team history. He struck out eight batters to increase his single-season record to 111, and his one earned run over five innings moved his NJCAA-leading earned run average to 1.03. Carpenter scattered three hits and two walks in the win. 

Johannes finished 1 for 2 with a walk and a grand slam, driving in a team-leading four runs, and scoring one. The game marked the third with four RBI this season.

Rozinski-Hicks, Nowak, and Gellings each produced two hits, while the other six batters in the order combined for all ten walks. Rozinski-Hicks, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native, scored a team-best three runs and drove in another, while Gellings finished with three runs driven in. 

Up Next:

Madison College (38-12) advanced to the second round against #3-seed East Central Community College (51-7). The Warriors finished the regular season ranked #1 in the NJCAA Division II Poll and earned an at-large bid into the expanded field of 12 teams. The WolfPack, ranked #12 in that final poll, have never played ECCC. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 27.

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